So far this year the Rays as a team have produced just a 91 wRC+ against left-handed pitching heading into Wednesday’s game – ranking just 22nd in the league. After watching Martin Perez throw seven shutout innings against the Rays last week in Atlanta, I began wondering whether their struggles against left-handed pitching could become a problem in October. The short answer is no, and the current iteration of the roster suggests they should be better against lefties going forward.

First, that overall team wRC+ is skewed a bit. The problem is concentrated among the team’s left-handed hitters. They have combined for a 72 wRC+ against southpaws, while the team’s right-handed hitters have posted a 101 wRC+. Some left-handed hitters will still have to appear in a postseason lineup, but the Rays have enough alternatives that the weakest platoon bats do not all need to play.

Chandler Simpson should be in the lineup against lefty starters. He has transformed himself into an impact defender, and his skillset is platoon-neutral so there’s no reason his performance data should be as low as it has been against lefties. His contact rates are still near elite against them, but he does chase quite a bit more versus left-handed pitchers. Simpson’s underlying contact ability suggests there is room for improvement in his production against lefties, particularly if he can reduce the additional chase that has limited his results. It wasn’t an issue for Simpson in his minor league career as he maintained nearly identical chase rates against both righties and lefties, so I expect that to take shape in the majors with more time.

Jonathan Aranda is another player who could be in a lineup against left-handers. His approach is more passive against them; he gets his A-swing off about half the time compared to when he faces right-handers, but Aranda maintains similar contact rates against lefties. His results against southpaws have been roughly league average, and his batted-ball profile suggests he has leaned into contact toward left field and up-the-middle rather than trying to pull the ball. Here’s his spray heatmap against righties this year:

And then we can see how he’s going less pull-heavy when he faces a lefty:

That may not be enough to keep him in the lineup if Victor Mesa Jr. establishes himself as a viable everyday option.

Mesa looks like a potential everyday option for the Rays when healthy. He has similar contact and chase rates against both righties and lefties for his brief major-league career so far, and that trend extends back to his time in AAA since 2024. Mesa even gets to his best bat speeds when facing lefties, so he doesn’t appear to be overmatched by same-side matchups. I’m cautiously optimistic he could start and hold his own against lefties in a larger sample in the majors because of his underlying data. He plays near-elite defense in right field, so a configuration of Vilade at first base and Mesa in right field against lefties offers more impact on both sides of the ball compared to Aranda at first base and Vilade in right field.

Here’s how each position player on the current roster stacks up in the majors against righties and lefties from the start of 2024 through September 15th, 2026:

Player	Contact%(vs RHP and LHP)average ~77%	EV90(vs RHP and LHP)average is ~104mph	FB+LD% (vs RHP and LHP)average is ~48%
Yandy Diaz	85.8%, 88.6%	108.1mph, 108.2mph	39.5%, 47.4%
Jonathan Aranda	79.7%, 79.0%	105.9mph, 103.3mph	60.2%, 46.0%
Junior Caminero	76.4%, 78.4%	109.7mph, 110.2mph	43.0%, 43.2%
Liam Hicks	88.5%, 87.8%	101.1mph, 96.5mph	50.2%, 44.1%
Chandler Simpson	91.3%, 92.5%	96.7mph, 96.3mph	39.1%, 29.7%
Victor Mesa Jr.	77.3%, 84.7%	105.4mph, 98.0mph	60.3%, 45.8%
Cedric Mullins	80.2%, 81.6%	102.8mph, 100.9mph	53.4%, 49.0%
Richie Palacios	79.4%, 80.3%	101.4mph, 97.8mph	50.6%, 39.4%
Taylor Walls	79.3%, 79.9%	100.3mph, 98.0mph	51.5%, 46.1%
Ryan Vilade	78.6%, 79.9%	106.8mph, 106.9mph	41.0%, 53.2%
Nick Fortes	85.3%, 86.1%	102.6mph, 103.0mph	37.7%, 40.7%
Jonny DeLuca	79.9%,75.8%	102.7mph, 102.2mph	44.4%, 47.5%
Jake Fraley	78.8%, 82.2%	102.9mph, 97.0mph	52.7%, 42.4%
Jorge Mateo	72.1%, 75.1%	104.5mph, 104.0mph	44.9%, 55.0%
Nick Madrigal	89.9%, 92.5%	99.1mph, 97.7mph	38.1%, 35.7%
Ben Williamson	80.2%, 84.0%	102.9mph, 104.4mph	39.4%, 38.6%

Simpson’s underlying contact profile is nearly identical against both handedness groups, while Mesa’s contact and batted-ball data provide reason to believe he may be able to handle left-handed pitching better than his limited major-league results suggest. His Triple-A EV90 against lefties was 102.8 mph, suggesting the major-league split may have room to stabilize. Also, it’s likely that Mateo and Madrigal won’t be on the roster when Walls and Williamson get healthy. The left-handed hitters whose overall offensive production is weakest against southpaws are Aranda, Hicks, Mullins, Palacios, and Fraley.

With their current roster, the Rays have to use at least two left-handed hitters in a lineup against a left-handed starter. Here’s how I’d lineup against a left-handed starter with the current roster:

1. Yandy Diaz DH
2. Ryan Vilade 1B
3. Junior Caminero 3B
4. Jonny DeLuca CF
5. Chandler Simpson LF
6. Nick Madrigal 2B (or Ben Williamson when healthy)
7. Victor Mesa RF
8. Nick Fortes C
9. Jorge Mateo SS (or Taylor Walls when healthy)

This alignment prioritizes right-handed bats and defensive range while keeping the weakest left-handed platoon options on the bench. Cash could still use Aranda aggressively as a pinch hitter. Even if an opposing manager responds with a left-handed reliever, Aranda’s ability to shoot a single into left-center may be more valuable in a late-game matchup than in several early at-bats against a left-handed starter due to the difference in leverage.

While the lineup they can run against right-handed starters is more impactful, the drop-off against left-handed starters is not as severe as the Rays’ overall numbers might suggest. The combination of right-handed power, platoon-neutral contact skills, and strong defense gives them enough flexibility to build a competitive lineup against southpaws. If Mesa can establish himself as an everyday option, the Rays may have enough depth to handle left-handed starters without compromising their defensive identity.

Team News

D-backs’ postseason hopes narrowing after frustrating series loss to Marlinshttps://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/d-backs-drop-in-wild-card-standings-in-loss-to-marlins

3 home runs not enough as Diamondbacks drop further back in wild cardhttps://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2026/09/16/diamondbacks-marlins-score-game-updates/91780111007/

Diamondbacks’ playoff hopes reach despair with 9 games to gohttps://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-marlins-loss-standings-wild-card

2001 Diamondbacks champions to reunite at Chase Field on Saturdayhttps://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/2001-diamondbacks-champions-to-reunite-at-chase-field-on-saturday

Diamondbacks DFA Veteran Reliever
https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-dfa-veteran-reliever

Ryne Nelson’s Return Adds Serious Firepower to Diamondbacks’ Bullpenhttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/ryne-nelson-return-firepower-diamondbacks-bullpen

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-17

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/September_17

Gene Wilder ate wax in Willy Wonka.

For the tea time scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the “candy” flower cup that Gene Wilder chomped on was actually made of wax. Additionally, the chocolate river was made of actual water, chocolate, and cream that spoiled throughout shooting.

The smallest ocean is the Arctic ocean.

It is also the shallowest and the coldest ocean among the world’s five ocean basins. The Arctic ocean is about 1.5 times the size of the United States.

An episode of Peppa Pig was banned in Australia.

This was mainly due to the episode’s message that aimed to teach children not to fear spiders. For Australians, spiders found on the continent are much larger and deadlier compared to other parts of the world. This episode was banned in the country so that children would not harm themselves whenever a spider was around. 

Wednesday ended up producing one of the more frustrating Yankees’ games of the season. Having rallied to tie the game after being down to their last out, the Yankees took leads in the 10th and 11th innings, and had the bases loaded and nobody out in the 12, but couldn’t put up a crooked number on any occasion. That allowed the Twins to continue answering and then eventually walk the game off in the 13th. While the Yankees had already won the first two games of the series, that was another very winnable one that they let slip away.

While that was a missed opportunity, just how much did it end up hurting the Yankees? Let’s check in on action from around the AL playoff races on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Rays (92-59) 4, The Athletics (61-91) 3

Well, New York didn’t get any help in the race atop the AL East, as the Rays scored four early runs and withstood an A’s charge to hang on and gain a game on the Bombers. They’re 4.5 ahead of the Yanks and could boost it to a full five with another win over the A’s this afternoon.

Tampa Bay seemed like they were going to walk away with an easy one early. They picked up two runs in the first inning on Jonny DeLuca and Chandler Simpson RBI hits. They then opened up a 4-0 lead in the second after Nick Fortes and Ryan Vilade drove home runs with hits of their own.

However, the A’s kept Tampa Bay off the board after that and got back into the game. Tommy White and Henry Bolte each hit solo homers in the third, halving the Rays’ lead immediately. A Shea Langeliers RBI single in the sixth then had the A’s within one.

After that though, the Rays’ bullpen kept the Athletics in check. The A’s managed just one more hit over the final three innings, and it was a single that didn’t lead to much.

Other Games

• Cleveland Guardians (78-75) 6, Chicago White Sox (77-75) 3: The Guardians have taken over first place of the AL Central after rallying to defeat the White Sox. Petey Halpin’s three-run home run helped Cleveland put up four runs in the sixth, taking the lead for good. The Pale Hose had gotten their own key three-run homer from Tommy Pham, but they couldn’t hold onto their edge and have now dropped to second place for the first time since July 3rd. Chicago is half a game behind Cleveland now and also only a game up for the last Wild Card spot.

• Texas Rangers (76-76) 7, Boston Red Sox (82-70) 3: The Red Sox failed to take advantage of the Yankees’ loss, while the Rangers — aided by the game below — won to draw even for first in the AL West (yes, at .500). The game was tied going into the seventh, where Texas scored three runs via RBI hits from Brandon Nimmo and Ezequiel Duran. Nathan Eovaldi also gave them four good innings out of the bullpen, helping the Rangers to a key win.

AL Rock Fight

• Kansas City Royals (67-85) 5, Houston Astros (76-76) 2: Meanwhile, the Astros failed to beat the lowly Royals, resulting in the aforementioned tie atop the AL West. Houston couldn’t muster much against KC starter Daniel Lynch IV, who allowed just two hits in five innings. The Royals themselves only managed two runs off Cristian Javier, but they tacked on some insurances runs late on, allowing them to hang on for the win. Houston does have the tiebreaker over Texas, but this division struggle should go down to the wire.

• Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) 5, Detroit Tigers (72-80) 1: Max Scherzer turned back the clock, allowing just one run in his five innings to help the Blue Jays to a win. The Tigers scored first, picking up a run in the top of the first, but that was all they got. Seven Toronto position players recorded at least one hit as the Jays overtook Detroit in the fourth inning and held on from there. The Jays are a game and a half back of the White Sox for the final Wild Card.

• Baltimore Orioles (75-78) 7, New York Mets (69-83): Pete Alonso homered against his former team again as the Orioles picked up a necessary win for their slim playoff hopes. Mets’ starter Xzavion Curry was crushed to the tune of six runs in three innings, as the O’s went up big early and never looked back. Baltimore is still alive at two and a half games behind Chicago, but there’s no margin for error as they welcome the NL Central-winning Brewers to town tomorrow.

The New York Mets (69-83) began their 2026 home schedule on MLB Opening Day by beating up on 2025 NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, which filled fans with hope and excitement even beyond what we imagined was possible, for a team coming into the year with playoff expectations. The team will now conclude their home schedule with four games against the Philadelphia Phillies (84-68) after being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention and as a club just playing out rest of their schedule. For what little it’s worth, the Phillies lead the season series 5-4 and have won two of the three games at Citi Field.

The Mets are coming off one of the most surreal home series in recent memory, to say the least. Franchise Home Run Leader Pete Alonso took center stage in his return to Citi Field after leaving for Baltimore in the offseason, and the fan reaction sparked much lively debate on the radio waves, on podcasts, on social media, and everywhere else where sports discussion takes place. Mets fans, unsurprisingly, gave Alonso a hero’s welcome, but perhaps some, including the Mets’ players, did not expect just how resounding the applause would be. Alonso was cheered early and often, as his chase for 300 home runs seemed to be at the forefront of the fans’ mind.

In the end, he reached the feat at the most opportune time for his club, tying the game in the top of the ninth of Kodai Senga on Tuesday. The moment resulted in a standing ovation and a curtain call, which stunned many. For what it’s worth, I had very little problem with the Mets fans celebrating Alonso the way they did, and I thought it resulted in a nice moment with the fans who returned the ball, and that is the last we’ll say about that. Oh, and the Mets got swept, losing 2-1 on Monday, 7-5 in 11 innings on Tuesday, and 7-1 on Wednesday, which, at the very least, helped their tankathon odds. So it goes.

The Mets and their fans will go from celebrating and recognizing an icon who left the organization to two icons who remain within the organization during the final home weekend of the season. First, the club will recognize Carlos Beltran, who recently was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, by retiring his number and putting him in the Mets’ HOF on Saturday, September 19. On the following day, the team will appreciate long-time radio voice Howie Rose, who is retiring at the end of the season, with a special pregame ceremony on Sunday, September 20, which also represents the final Mets’ home game this year. The hopes are that, despite the bad record and despite being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention—this formality took place after Monday night’s loss to the Orioles—the Flushing Faithful will turn out to show their love for both Beltran and Rose, who each have a special place in Mets’ history.

The Phillies are in a completely different spot from the Mets, still fighting for their playoff lives but firmly in a spot at the moment. It’s a stark contrast between the two clubs, both of whom began the season pretty wretchedly. The two stories diverged when Philadelphia fired manager Rob Thomson on April 28, two full months before New York relieved Carlos Mendoza of his duties. The Phillies never looked back, and with Don Mattingly at the helm, they find themselves one game up in the Wild Card race. If the season were to end today, they would be the second NL Wild Card club, meaning they would travel to Wrigley Field for a date with the Cubs. However, both the red-hot Padres and the Diamondbacks, who sit on the outside looking in, are right behind them, so every game in this series is of the utmost importance to Philadelphia. The Phillies just split a two-game set with the Nationals.

Thursday, September 17: Nolan McLean vs. Aaron Nola, 7:15 PM EDT on FOX

McLean (2026): 166.2 IP, 184 K, 66 BB, 17 HR, 3.24 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 79 ERA-

For McLean to win NL Rookie of the Year, he basically had to end the year on a flawless run to make headway in the race. His chances took a big hit in his last start, as he allowed five earned runs on a career-worst 10 hits over five innings at Yankee Stadium. He only struck out five, which makes his quest for 200 Ks a bit challenging, as does his chance of reaching 180 innings. He likely has just one start left after this one against the Phillies, which means he’ll need to go 13 1/3 innings and strike out 16 across these two outings to reach two numbers that might make the voters take notice. In any event, he has been, by far, the best rookie hurler in the NL, though he still has a lot of things he can focus on fixing heading into his 2027 sophomore campaign, including his walks issued and his home runs surrendered.

Nola (2026): 161.1 IP, 165 K, 55 BB, 34 HR, 4.69 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 108 ERA-

It’s been a tale of two halves for Nola. In his first 21 starts of the year, he posted a 5.82 ERA and a 5.06 FIP in 108 1/3 innings. In nine starts since then, he’s posted a 2.38 ERA and a 4.44 FIP in 53 innings. Five of those nine outings have qualified as ‘quality starts’, and Nola has looked a little bit more like his old self. His last two starts have come against the Braves, and he went a combined 13 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on ten hits, with eight strikeouts and four walks. Despite the back-to-back quality starts, the Phillies lost both games, those Nola settled for a no decision in both. This is his third time facing the Mets this year and 33rd time in his career. He owns a 3.46 ERA with 230 strikeouts in his 32 appearances against New York.

Friday, September 18: Zach Thornton vs. Alan Rangel, 7:15 PM EDT on Apple TV+

Thornton (2026): 73.1 IP, 55 K, 16 BB, 12 HR, 3.44 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 83 ERA-

Thornton is coming off one of his most impressive major league start. In the hitter friendly Yankee Stadium, he limited the potent Yankees’ lineup to two earned runs on five hits. He struck out four, walked one, and tossed 75% of his 81 pitches for strikes. He peppered the strike zone all afternoon and kept the Yankees’ bats at bay, while the Mets’ offense did more than enough to get the left-hander his fourth career win. Thornton has two more outings left to showcase his stuff as he looks to improve his standing within the club in the hopes of securing a spot in the 2027 rotation.

Rangel (2026): 26.0 IP, 29 K, 13 BB, 4 HR, 5.88 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 135 ERA-

Rangel will step in for Luzardo, who hit the IL and will not pitch again in the regular season. He made three starts this year, all in July, with one of those outings coming against the Mets. New York treated him rather rudely, putting up five runs on seven hits in four innings to hand the right-hander a loss back on July 19. Overall, he’s given up eight earned runs on 13 hits over 11 1/3 innings as a starting pitcher in 2026.

Saturday, September 19: Christian Scott vs. Andrew Painter, 4:10 PM EDT on SNY

Scott(2026): 105.1 IP, 127 K, 46 BB, 12 HR, 3.76 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 91 ERA-

Scott was really impressive against the Yankees, completing six innings of work for just the third time since the All-Star break. He allowed two earned runs on three hits and struck out seven while allowing two walks. Unfortunately, two solo homers and a lack of offense against Cam Schlitter handed the right-hander his fifth loss of the season. Despite that, it was an encouraging outing for the right-hander, who looks to cement his spot in next season’s rotation with a strong finish to his first season coming off Tommy John Surgery.

Painter (2026): 115.1 IP, 100 K, 43 BB, 19 HR, 5.54 ERA, 4.76 FIP, 127 ERA-

The Phillies picked Painter in the first round (13th overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft, and he finally made his debut for the club this season. He’s had an up-and-down rookie campaign though has shown signs of promise as of late. He picked up a win in his first career start on March 31, as he held the Nats to one earned run on four hits with eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. From then on, he went 0-8 and posted a 7.06 ERA and a 5.53 FIP in 53 innings across 14 starts, which earned him a demotion to Triple-A. Since returning on July 31, he’s been much better, posting a 3.58 ERA and a 3.77 FIP over 50 1/3 innings in nine starts. His last time out, he held the Braves to one earned run on six hits over five innings as he settled for a no decision. This will be his first taste of the Mets-Phillies rivalry.

Sunday, September 20: Jonah Tong vs. Cristopher Sánchez, 1:10 PM EDT on WPIX

Tong(2026): 21.0 IP, 20 K, 9 BB, 2 HR, 3.43 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 83 ERA-

Tong is coming off arguably the most impressive start of his young career, for many reasons. For one thing, it was the first time going six innings while not allowing an earned run. For another thing, he had to deal with the unique situation of having Mets fans loudly cheer an opposing player, and he handled it about as well as could be expected without appearing rattled. In all, he finished the outing allowing just one unearned run on four hits, with six strikeouts and one Polar Bear-sized walk. With a strong finish, he could put himself in a place to earn a spot in the rotation coming into spring training.

Sánchez (2026): 193.2 IP, 215 K, 44 BB, 17 HR, 2.93 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 67 ERA-

Through the end of June, Sánchez seemed to be the NL Cy Young frontrunner. The left-hander had an 2.00 ERA and a 2.30 FIP, with 136 strikeouts in 117 innings heading into July, but after that, he’s been much more pedestrian, posting a 4.34 ERA and a 3.54 FIP, 79 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate has dropped from 28.6% in March-June, to 23.9% in July-September, while his HR/9 has jumped from 0.62/9 to 1.06/9 during those same stretches. He is also walking more batters, going from a 4.8% BB% from March-June to a 6.4% BB% in July-September. His struggles have been front-and-center across his last two starts, where he’s allowed 11 earned runs on 18 hits across 12 1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts, two walks, and three home runs allowed. With Luzardo hurt, it is imperative for Philadelphia’s World Series chances that Sánchez gets back to pitching like he did in the first half of the regular season.

Morning A’s fans!

The A’s have cast a growing net in their search for their next General Manager. Looking to replace their former long-time GM David Forst with someone capable of getting the A’s back to the playoffs, the first names to emerge were former GM’s James Click and Mike Rizzo, as well as current A’s assistant GM Billy Owens, who has been with the organization for the better part of three decades.

Well now we can add a couple more names to the list of potential new voices for the front office. Joe Doyle of OverSlotBaseball threw out a post a couple of days ago naming Red Sox assistant GM’s Mike Groopman and Taylor Smith as the newest candidates to lead the Athletics heading into Las Vegas:

The Athletics are casting a wide net in their search for their next general manager. According to multiple sources, they’ve had conversations with Boston Red Sox SVP/AGMs Mike Groopman and Taylor Smith about the role.

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) September 15, 2026

The AGM’s have been speculatively connected to bigger jobs over the past couple of years, especially Mike Groopman. The 41-year-old originally worked under current Mets PBO David Stearns in Milwaukee in their international scouting and player development department before getting a promotion and joining the Red Sox in 2022. He’s done a bit of everything with Boston but was especially involved in roster building, and is largely credited within the Red Sox’s organization for pushing the Garrett Crochet trade over the top.

He originally was in charge of analytics under then-GM Chaim Bloom, who famously delegated different duties to his lieutenants. But he would eventually secede those responsibilities to the other name connected in Joe Doyle’s report, fellow assistant GM Taylor Smith. Smith is yet another graduate of the Rays’ organization, joining the AL East rivals in 2024 after being Tampa’s director of “predictive modeling”. Since he’s been with the Red Sox for a shorter amount of time it’d be fair to assume he’s lower on the totem pole within the Boston front office but many in the league think it’s just a matter of time until he gets to build his own team somewhere.

Both of these guys have had interviews for full GM spots before with Boston, though these might be their first for new organizations. Between the two, Groopman seems to have more hands-on experience while Smith might have more of an analytical mind. If the A’s want a first-time GM, and one who comes from outside of the organization, you could do a lot worse than starting with these two guys. Is that the direction the team wants to go though with Las Vegas now just a year away? We’ll have to wait and see but there’s rumors they might pick their man before the season is over.

Have a great Thursday everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s Comeback Falls Short in 4-3 Loss to the Rays
• Paralyzed A’s prospect Lasko released from rehab facility to ovation from staff
• Rays Walk-off A’s, 2-1, in Series Opener
• Injuries Out Of Control, But Why?
• No. 2 prospect in baseball De Vries undergoes successful shoulder surgery
• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• A’s Win Series, Beat Mariners 8-7
• A’s Walk Off Blue Jays 6-5
• “Fast Movers” Might Be Key To Contention
• What the A’s Hiring Mike Rizzo would Signal and the Questions it Would Raise
• Bi-Polar Performance Arcs Make Evaluation Difficult
• A’s Designate José Suarez For Assignment
• Q&A: Clarke determined to finish strong with A’s after long IL stint
• It’s Been a Bummer Summer in Sacramento
• The A’s valuation rises with sales of 2 MLB clubs as Las Vegas move looms
• Your 2026 Hacktastic A’s
• Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
• Daejon Love case brings back Eric Byrnes’ bizarre story of an A’s bat boy impersonation
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app

MLB News and Interest:

• Yankees activate Schmidt from 60-day IL, DFA Cabrera
• Phillies place Jesús Luzardo on IL with shoulder inflammation
• Jameson Taillon Seeking Additional Opinions On Elbow, Won’t Return This Season
• Twins’ shortstop Kaelen Culpepper to injured list with hamstring strain
• Cardinals activate rookie 2B JJ Wetherholt from injured list
• D-backs To Activate Ryne Nelson, Designate Derek Law For Assignment
• Will these 5 teams take the next step in 2027?
• Picking the best player at each position who wasn’t a 2026 All-Star
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Fantastic development for Ryan Lasko leaving the hospital!

22 strong, always 💚💛

Ryan is heading home today after spending time in a rehab facility and he received a special surprise clap out from everyone along the way! He will begin out patient therapy and continue his journey to recovery.

We’re with you every step of the way,… pic.twitter.com/qSWXQLUvdT

— Athletics (@Athletics) September 16, 2026

No Devin Taylor this Fall League. Instead Breyson Guedez getting extra work this offseason:

A's are sending OF Breyson Guedez, catchers Cole Conn & Davis Diaz and pitchers Kenya Huggins, Tucker Novotny, Jared Johnson, Jay Dill & Grant Richardson to the Arizona Fall League. Originally planned to send Devin Taylor instead of Guedez but decided to give Taylor a rest.

— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) September 15, 2026

Time to start thinking about the prospects the A’s need to protect from the Rule 5 Draft this offseason:

Cole Conn homered tonight and is now batting .315 and a .909 OPS in triple-A. Should be added to the 40-man this winter.

He’s a switch-hitting catcher who could be a great replacement for Jonah Heim pic.twitter.com/9EzscZTZkz

— BK (@athleticBsK) September 16, 2026

Positive signs but definitely not enough to prevent the team from adding pitching this offseason:

“I said, ‘Look, if you get back here and get this opportunity, you need to take advantage, because you haven’t taken advantage yet.’ Tonight was a big step.”

Jack Perkins’ best start as a big leaguer Tuesday in Tampa could not have come at a better time. https://t.co/MxDwnwB94m

— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) September 16, 2026

Good morning everyone and happy Thursday!

The Mariners managed to secure a victory in the series finale against the Angels, winning 7-2. The team has an off-day today as they head to Denver for what is sure to be a high-scoring affair with the Rockies.

In Mariners news…

• Everett is in danger of losing the AquaSox with its stadium project hitting major hurdles. Neetish Basnet at Puget Sound Business Journal has more.
• Felnin Celesten is taking home some hardware following a breakout season with the AquaSox.

Around the league…

• Padres top prospect Ethan Salas became the youngest catcher to hit two homers in a single MLB game.
• Former Mariner Justin Turner was one of many MLB veterans who just won a Mexican League title with Los Toros de Tijuana.
• Congratulations to former Mariner Endy Chávez!

• The Baseball America gave handed out farm system grades for all 30 organizations. ($)
• Alden Gonzalez at ESPN explained why we haven’t seen a flood of two-way stars in the wake of Shohei Ohtani’s emergence.

Anders’ pick…

• LeBron James’ deal with the betting service Polymarket is worth $15 million annually. All of this really seems like it should be illegal.

Good morning! Last night, Jake Bennett was unable to hold the Rangers in check during the team’s 7-3 loss in Texas. Some of his numbers look good (seven strikeouts against just one walk), but he also surrendered eight hits in just 4.2 innings, which did in his evening.

With just ten games left in the season, the question now becomes how should the Sox use Bennett going forward? With some combination of Sonny Gray, Payton Tolle and Ranger Suarez likely to get lined up in a best of three Wild Card Series, do you just hold Bennett on the sidelines and hope he gets to come back into the fold as a fourth starter in the ALDS or even ALCS? Or do you start transitioning him to some sort of relief role?

It’s a bit of an awkward moment for Bennett. He’s been getting knocked around during his last two outings while Suarez is seemingly getting locked in. It almost certainly cuts him out of the Wild Card rotation, and if the Sox get some combination of Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck and Tyron Guerrero back to add to Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Erik Miller in the bullpen, Bennett largely gets squeezed out of relevance.

So how do you want him used? Do those six shutout innings Bennett threw against the Yankees back on August 29th make you want the Sox to find a role for him if they play New York? Do you think he’s just a young pitcher who looks out of gas and want to hide him until the team needs a fourth starter?

Use this space to talk about Bennett and the rest of the difficult upcoming pitching staff decisions, and, as always, be good to one another.

Ethan Salas had been mired in an 0-for-15 slump since he was called up to the MLB roster by the San Diego Padres before he logged his first hit in the form of a triple against the San Francisco Giants. That slump is just a thing of the past for the top prospect who hit his first big league home run and led the Padres to a 9-3 win over the Rockies at Coors Field on Wednesday.

Salas connected on a solo home run to center field to lead off the top of the second inning, which put San Diego ahead of Colorado, 3-1. Two is always better than one, so Salas hit his second career home run and second of the game in the top of the fifth inning when he hit a two-out, two-run home run just over the wall in right field which put the Padres ahead, 8-1.

Salas had a career day at the plate and that was in support of his battery mate Robbie Ray. The veteran left-hander cruised through much of the game, holding the Rockies to one run on one hit until he reached the bottom of the sixth inning. Ray allowed his second hit of the game with a leadoff double to Connor Norby. He then allowed a one-out, two-run home run to Kyle Karros before completing the inning and finishing his day. Ray walked off the mound after the sixth inning with a 9-3 lead.

The Padres offense continued to hit Rockies pitching, adding another 13 hits in the game, which give them 37 hits over the first three games of the series. The main statistic for San Diego in their six-run win on Wednesday was 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Jackson Merrill stayed hot and finished the day 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored. Dustin Harris, Jake Cronenworth and Samad Taylor all finished with multiple hits in the game.

Ray was replaced on the mound by David Morgan in the seventh inning and he pitched two scoreless frames before handing the ninth inning over to Yuki Matsui to secure the win.

The Padres will try to win the series when they face the Rockies today at 12:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• With each day that passes the magic number for the Padres to clinch a postseason berth gets smaller and they may have a chance to clinch prior to the final series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

• A.J. Preller and his staff have had a successful year finding MLB talent on the cheap.

• Lake Elsinore got no-hit and suffered a disappointing playoff loss.

Baseball News:

• Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs and led the Chicago Cubs to a win over the Atlanta Braves.

• Pete Alonso homered and helped the Baltimore Orioles keep their postseason hopes alive.

• The Cleveland Guardians took over the top spot in the AL Central with a win over the Chicago White Sox.

• The Philadelphia Phillies topped the Washington Nationals with a solid start from Zack Wheeler.

• Sandy Alcantara got his first career save and helped the Miami Marlins hold on to a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Rangers 7, Red Sox 3

• Your Texas Rangers are back to .500 for the first time since August 24.
• Your Texas Rangers are in first place, also for the first time since August 24.
• This is thanks to a come-from-behind win against the hated Red Sox of Boston, with MacKenzie Gore and Nathan Eovaldi contributing four innings apiece as part of a Jakob Junis sandwich.
• MacKenzie Gore didn’t look right from the outset, walking Roman Anthony on four pitches to start the game, the first three of which were not close. Anthony came around to score when Willson Contreras pulverized a poorly located slider, with the ball ultimately coming down in the seats for a two run homer.
• Gore settled down for the next few innings, though his velocity was down, and Robby Ahlstrom was warming early, in apparent anticipation of having to come into the game.
• It turned out that Gore was dealing with back and shoulder spasms throughout the outing. Though he was able to navigate the second, third and fourth innings, a walk and a hard hit single off the glove of Josh Jung to start the fifth resulted in Jakob Junis coming into the game.
• With runners on first and third and no outs and the score tied at 2, Junis got a strikeout, a groundout, and a strikeout. Unfortunately, he also had the ball slip out of his glove while standing on the rubber, resulting in a balk which brought home a run to make it 3-2 Boston.
• All that did is make the game more the thrilling for those of us rooting for the home team, though.
• Nathan Eovaldi, summoned to pitch the sixth after the Rangers tied up the game in the bottom of the fifth, gave up a single to the first batter he faced, then hit the third batter he faced. Not an auspicious start.
• Eovaldi then retired the final 11 batters he faced, reminding us all of why we got his face tattooed on our backs that one time.
• Nailbiting though much of the game was, a three run rally in the bottom of the seventh allowed sphincters to finally relax a bit, with Corey Seager adding an insurance run in the eighth.
• It would have been fun if the Rangers had taken the lead with Junis in the game, and thus Eovaldi could have gotten a four inning save, but I’m sure he’s fine with the win.
• The Rangers were 7 for 16 with runners in scoring position. That seems like a lot of at bats with runners in scoring position, a lot of hits with runners in scoring position, and a very good success rate with runners in scoring position.
• In fact, I’m wondering how the Rangers didn’t score more runs, given that.
• Everybody in the starting lineup got a hit, which is fun. The Nicky Lopez fans out there — and I know that you are legion — got to see their hero enter the game as a pinch runner, which had to have been thrilling.
• The Rangers are now 9-6 in their last 15 games. They’ve been playing of late like, well, like we’ve thought they are capable of playing, and that they haven’t been doing much of this season.
• So now the Rangers are in first place in the American League West again, tied with the Houston Astros, after the Astros lost at home to the Royals. And yes, the Astros have the tiebreaker advantage, but I’m not going to worry about that right now, I’m just going to enjoy seeing the Rangers with a “—” next to their name in the games back column.
• Texas is a game back in the Wild Card standings, but because the Guardians beat the White Sox, the Rangers are a game back of Chicago rather than Cleveland, which is bad because the Rangers have the tiebreaker advantage over Cleveland but not Chicago.
• Toronto is a half game back of Texas and Houston the Wild Card race, and Texas has the tiebreaker over Toronto, and is also playing Toronto this weekend in a three game set which should likely be meaningful.
• Oh, and Baltimore, despite being sellers, are still just a game and a half behind Texas and Houston, and a game behind Toronto, for the Wild Card Three spot.
• Exciting, scoreboard-watching September baseball! Woo hoo!!!
• MacKenzie Gore touched 95.9 mph on his fastball, averaging 94.0 mph. Jakob Junis threw one fastball that was 93.0 mph. Nathan Eovaldi’s fastball topped out at 93.7 mph.
• Jake Burger had a 110.2 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 105.3 mph double. Justin Foscue had a 103.5 mph single. Josh Jung had a 101.6 mph single and a 100.3 mph double.
• Let us see a sweep in the finale, Rangers.

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees travel to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks in a three-game series starting Friday...

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5 things to watch

Latest on Judge

In the series finale against the Twins on Wednesday, Aaron Judge exited early with lower leg tightness.

While the Yankees and Judge himself are keeping things close to the vest, his status for the weekend series and the rest of the regular season is in question. The off day Thursday helps Judge and the Yankees potentially prevent an IL stint, but we have to wait until Friday to learn more about Judge's fate.

The Yankees do have Monday off, so New York could use the weekend to give Judge extra rest before the four-game series with the Rays when they return home Tuesday. 

AL East race

Speaking of the Rays, the Yankees will enter Thursday 4.5 games behind Tampa for the AL East crown. While the Yankees' chances of stealing the division away are slim, they'll need to continue stacking wins against Arizona to have a shot when the two AL East foes clash next week.

It won't be easy, though. The Diamondbacks are fighting for a Wild Card spot and will send three of their best starters (Bradon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez and Corbin Burnes) to the mound.

Can Cole rebound?

Gerrit Cole has struggled recently. He's allowed seven home runs over his last two starts, and after his loss to the Mets last weekend, he was left searching for answers. 

Cole has had a good season considering he's returning from Tommy John surgery, posting a 3.67 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 20 starts, but the Yankees will need the former Cy Young winner to make a deep playoff run. 

Perhaps Cole can figure out what the issue is against the Diamondbacks. He said it wasn't physical, so it could be pitch-tipping or something more. 

In six career starts against Arizona, he's posted a 3-2 record and an ERA of 1.96. However, all of those starts have been with the Pirates and Astros. His last start (May 28, 2018) saw him pitch a complete-game one-hitter with Houston. 

Progressing Schmidt 

Clarke Schmidt made his return to the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing two hits while striking out both batters he faced against the Twins. 

Getting Schmidt back is a boon for the Yankees bullpen, but they'll need to get him rolling in the regular season before they can trust him in the postseason. He'll likely get an opportunity or two this weekend. We'll see how he does. 

Outfield production

If Judge misses time, the rest of the outfielders will need to step up. Aside from Cody Bellinger, who has been killing it at the plate, Spencer Jones -- who has seen the bulk of the CF playing time with Trent Grisham out -- will need to continue producing.

Jones is 9-for-30 (.300) with a home run and six RBI in his last seven games, and that's with the 0-for-6, five-strikeout game on Wednesday. 

Heliot Ramos will get the starts in right field if Judge is down, and the trade deadline acquisition will need to step it up. Although he's produced somewhat (5-for-18 with a home run) in limited playing time over the last seven games, he's looked more comfortable with his new team.

How these three produce this weekend could tell how much the Yankees need Judge the final week of the season.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Cody Bellinger

Bellinger continues his hot stretch this weekend. He's 13-for-28 (.464) with three home runs in his last seven games.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Cam Schlittler

Schlittler's Cy Young campaign continues with another strong start.

Which D-backs player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

Corbin Carroll

The outfielder has been clutch for Arizona this season.

Tonight, commemorating the great White Sox career of Tim Anderson upon his retirement on August 10, the White Sox are cracking out their original City Connect uniform “the Southside” as well as honoring the shortstop with a special pregame ceremony.

Over 10 years in the big leagues, Anderson established himself as a White Sox franchise icon, one of the game’s most unique offensive players and a true original on the field.

Immediately upon the news that Anderson was retiring and that the White Sox would be honoring his contribution to the franchise, we at South Side Sox felt compelled to honor him. What follows are the special remembrances from several on staff.

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Dante Jones
Tim Anderson is part of why I still love baseball. We are currently in an era featuring fewer black players than we’re accustomed to, and during his time in the spotlight Anderson was unapologetically himself, which meant unapologetically BLACK. You can see it in the black and Afro Latino players in the game today, with a freedom of expression that so many who came before weren’t allowed.

Anderson was also a damn good White Sox player.

“It’s just BABIP luck,” was the excuse for Anderson’s excellence — until he was too good to be denied his due. There were batting titles and cornfield walk-offs, and tosses of the bat after racists got mad; you’re not stopping Tim from playing the game his way. He was the face of a White Sox era that some will be happy to forget, but real fans know how important it was.

Plus, Tim was the only player who really looked cool in the Southside jerseys.

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Melissa Sage-Bollenbach
Tim Anderson deserves a tribute night, and I’m glad he’s getting his due. Bringing back the original Southside uniforms for the occasion is just icing on the cake. No one wore that uniform better than No. 7.

Anderson brought an energy and swagger that helped define an era of White Sox baseball. From 2016-21, as the Sox went from rebuilding to contending, TA was at the center of it all. He was the straw that stirred the drink, and after such an impressive start to his career, it seemed like he was destined to be a fixture on the South Side for a long time.

For me, though, my fondest memory of Tim will always be the Field of Dreams game in 2021. I was lucky enough to be there in person and watch Anderson walk off the Yankees, with one swing into the Iowa corn. The entire night already felt like a dream, and somehow TA found a way to write the Hollywood ending.

Tim Anderson never apologized for who he was or how he played the game. He brought joy, emotion and personality to the ballpark.

He WAS a South Sider. And for all the unforgettable moments along the way, thanks for the memories, TA.

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Nello Rubio
I will never forget how kind, fun and all-around great player and person Tim Anderson was. I got a chance to interview him at SoxFest in 2017, talking to him about how much his role would change as he evolved into a leader in his first full year in the big leagues. His awareness, and attention to detail in his answers, was something I found interesting. In fact, when I met again a day or two later, he remembered me. His sharp attention to detail is one of the things that made him such a truly remarkable player, and person.

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Brett Ballantini
His actions on the field spoke loudly enough: By WAR the 38th-best position player in White Sox history, buried deep on the rich list of franchise shortstops but the talent to watch on the White Sox as the teens segued into the 20s. Tim Anderson was one of the rare players in Chicago, and relatively rare players across MLB, who you tuned in to watch. What he would do in a game was most important, but how he would do it was nearly more so.

I only ever got to know Tim a little bit, and most of that via a Zoom screen in pandemic times, but what came through to me and what will always make him a personal favorite, was his humanity. His care for teammates, personality on the field, incredible skills that both played to type and stretched in unexpected directions. H

And, of course, his heart. TA was the motor who propelled the White Sox.

Right along with that was Tim’s sense of fun. Did he love baseball? Sure, although his first love was basketball. Did he love the challenge of the game? Of course, because he rose to meet those challenges over several starring seasons. But Tim just loved to be out there, playing the game his way: Jawing at opponents, joking with teammates. Somehow, one of the most soft-spoken people you’ll ever meet transformed into a master of ceremonies at the plate or lolling about shortstop.

And for as much as he was loved by teammates and was an irritant to foes, Tim was just, well, FUN. And as much as he could give it out, he could take it, too:

Of all the players you know over your lifetime as a fan, the math works out where there can’t be too many you truly love. And as you get older, that bar becomes even harder to cross — for one, all the players become younger than you, at some point. But Tim inspired pride in us as White Sox fans, in a package that both entertained and impressed. Undoubtedly, I love Tim Anderson.

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Year of the Hamster
Tim Anderson’s ascendance with the White Sox and in the majors coincided with my introduction to sportswriting, which just happened to be … here, at South Side Sox. So for me, TA was sort of my guide into the White Sox, and even to baseball itself. He was a character to latch on to, as well as an star to be wowed by and proud of.

So now, forgive the fact that what I most hold dear about Tim has nothing to do with baseball itself, because that is what really made me admire him. TA never really played it up, and seemed to tread cautiously, understandably, around social issues. And some, including our editor here, thought Tim should do even more with his platform for social causes — his flip attitude toward honoring the Negro Leagues at least in the purview of one question in one press gaggle, got under Brett’s skin and in fact lit a match on one of the few disagreements we’ve had about coverage here.

But the man as a whole, for some of his visible and perhaps even embarrassing faults, stood tall. And I first and foremost was impressed when he stood tall … by kneeling.

This was one of the sweetest, or at least most bittersweet, moments I have witnessed in my time covering this team. A pained Anderson, his own best friend a victim of violence, kneeling in support of Black Lives Matter on July 25, 2000, Opening Night of the pandemic season. And flanking him, in contact with Tim as family, manager Ricky Renteria and left-side infield partner Yoán Moncada.

Tim was not comfortable with such shows and stands, although he made them often. Sure enough, when Brett asked him postgame whether he would continue to honor the movement by kneeling during the National Anthem, a self-conscious Tim wanted the spotlight turned off.

In multiple ways not only restricted to the grander fortunes of the White Sox on the field, it’s a shame Tim’s career fell so far, so fast. He seemed to have more to give on the field, and definitely had more to give off of it. His first Roberto Clemente Award came in 2019, and there were multiple more such citations to come.

Almost assuredly, there were untapped aspects of Anderson, a leadership gear he barely got a chance to flash, as well as continued community efforts both in Chicago and back home in Alabama.

Tim represented all of the rest of us, who did not look like the typical baseball player, by gender or color or even orientation. Over the years under Brett at South Side Sox, we’ve had many such people on staff. I daresay he is every bit the hero to them as he is to me.

All the best in retirement, Tim. Thank you for always being you.

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Joe Kiang-Resis
Many will point to the Field of Dreams walk-off, and rightfully so, as that the iconic moment of Tim Anderson’s career. For me, though, his debut on June 10, 2016 captured my attention. The Sox had stumbled from 23-10 down to 30-30, and the vibes were dead. Then, TA stepped in for his first MLB plate appearance, fell behind 1-2, then sliced a tough pitch into the left-field corner for a double. He finished 2-for-3 in a win, and fans could feel the entire energy of the team shift immediately.

That debut was the ultimate preview of what was to come: an AL batting title, two All-Star selections, and three straight seasons with an .800+ OPS at shortstop. Even when the team was struggling, TA had a unique way of changing the momentum with sharp contact and pure fire. It was an absolute pleasure to root for him, and I will always look back on his time on the South Side fondly.

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Although they are no longer actively contributing with us here, there are additional memories to share from former staff.

Janice Valenzuela covered SoxFest for us in 2020, and from what I recall, TA was her first, or most significant, interview there. Whether reassuring her as a first-time player interviewer or swapping hoops stories as two former players, Anderson made her feel at ease and transition in real time from skilled newbie to seasoned pro.

Hannah LaMotta was a Paul Konerko girlie as a very young fan, but put together this Tim Anderson tribute when he left the White Sox.

Artist and writer Mitch Ransdell piloted our “Player of the Week” series for several seasons, contributing both art and essays. Anderson was the featured star on several occasions, and Mitch always had a unique take on a game scene.

Tom Borowski was with us for a brief time, but his artwork was absolutely delightful, including his take on the iconic “Stick Talk” moment against the Royals.

And speaking of Stick Talk, well, here’s the most popular T-shirt we ever sold in partnership with Breaking T. This came back at a time where we were more actively collaborating with the company, contributing edits or suggestions to their designs.

We sent some to the White Sox clubhouse, and what ho, Lucas Giolito was proud to show his off:

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But hey, this isn’t just about us!

Please share your Tim Anderson memories below.